Danny Williams insists he is feeling better than ever ahead of his British heavyweight title defence against John McDermott in Dagenham tonight after solving a mystery medical condition.
Williams says he was hampered by the problem - which he declined to divulge - in recent fights including his controversial knockout of unbeaten prospect Konstantin Airich last time out.
But the 35-year-old Brixton man paid a visit to his doctor wh
o quickly pronounced him cured - allowing Williams to train fully for his latest domestic test as he looks to claw his way back into world title contention.
Williams - who had Sheffield trainer Glyn Rhodes in his corner in a fight in America in April - said: "I felt bad in a lot of recent performances but I didn't want to make excuses so I kept it under wraps. But it was so bad in the Airich fight that I decided to go to see my doctor.
"When my doctor found out what the problem was he said he couldn't believe I'd been fighting like that.
"But he managed to make me better and I'm really going to prove that against McDermott. "It is not the first time Williams has made similar claims before a fight and some have suggested his latest attempt may be more to do with mind games as he seeks to end the domestic aspirations of McDermott.
Williams is the first to admit he has had plenty of psychological demons to wrestle during his career which has taken him from the high of a world heavyweight title challenge in Las Vegas to the low of a knockout by Audley Harrison.
Williams added: "That Danny Williams will always be there and I don't worry about it any more. It was right there from the amateurs when I'd lose to a journeyman then knock out an ABA champion in my next fight.
"I lost to Michael Sprott then I knocked out Mike Tyson. You never know what's going to happen with me. For that reason I know this is one of my most dangerous fights and I've put a hell of a lot of work into it."
McDermott meanwhile froze on his previous big chance against Matt Skelton when he was blown away in one round in 2005, and although he has rebounded since he has it all to do against Williams.
McDermott said: "This is the fittest I've ever been. There is no way I will quit. The only way I will lose will be if I am carried out on my shield, and I am convinced I will prove the knockers wrong."
What do you think? Post your comments below. READ MORE Football headlinesMore BladesMore OwlsMore SpireitesMore RoversMore RedsMore MillersMore Ice HockeyMore rugby leagueMore rugby unionMore boxingSports columnistsAll sport categoriesThe full article contains 479 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
